Mounting apparatus for an audio/video system and related methods and systems

ABSTRACT

An audio-video (AV) system in one embodiment includes a mounting apparatus for mounting the system to a wall support located behind a wall surface and within an in-wall space. The mounting apparatus includes a support member for supporting at least one component in a support space within the in-wall space, a display mounting member  30  for mounting a display device, and a removable wall opening cover for concealing at least a portion of the in-wall space that would otherwise be visible through a wall opening to a viewer. Various multimedia-supportive devices, including loudspeakers and a subwoofer, may be concealed behind the cover in the in-wall space.

This application claims priority from U.S. application Ser. No.14/000,196, filed Aug. 16, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,273,473 issued Mar.1, 2016, which in turn claims priority from PCT/CA2012/000151, which inturn claims priority from U.S. App. No. 61/457,278 filed Feb. 17, 2011,the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entiretyfor all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates generally to audio/video entertainment systems,and more particularly, to wall mounting of audio/video entertainmentsystems.

2. Description of Related Art

Modern multimedia systems such as audio-visual (AV) entertainmentsystems are increasingly used both in commercial and in residentialsettings. In the commercial sphere, high-end multimedia systems areinstalled in conference rooms and hotel rooms, for example, whereas inthe residential sphere, integrated entertainment systems that canprovide a credible home cinema experience are becoming popular.Multimedia systems typically integrate multiple components such as adisplay device (e.g., a high-definition television or HDTV, a projectorand projector screen, or an LCD screen, LED screen or plasma screen), aloudspeaker system (e.g., 2.0 or 2.1 stereo, 3.1 channel or 5.1/7.1surround sound configurations), and a signal source (e.g., a radio tuneror TV receiver, satellite receiver, compact disk or CD player, set-topbox, IP-based Internet device, an optical disc player such as a DVD orBlu-ray player, a digital video recorder or DVR, and/or a video gameconsole). A multimedia system may further include components orequipment that provides remote control or management, communication,computing, signal processing, switching, amplification and/or powersupply functions. In many cases, these and other system components andequipment may be sourced from a variety of commercial vendors and areintegrated manually and configured by multimedia system installers toform the multimedia system.

The integration and installation of such multimedia systems raisesconcerns for the design community (e.g., architects, interiordesigners), for builders and developers, for equipment installers, andeven for end users (e.g., home owners, renters or hotel guests) abouthow equipment will be mounted or housed, how much space it will take,whether the end result is aesthetically pleasing, and whether it will bepossible to upgrade or service the system with relative ease in thefuture, for example, by replacing or adding components. Further, theequipment must be adequately ventilated to allow for heat dissipation.Finally, it must produce high quality audio and/or video output.

It is especially difficult to address the above concerns given thatconsumers have strong but divergent preferences regarding whichcomponents should be integrated into their multimedia system andspecifically how they are integrated or configured. One approach hasbeen to use special furniture or custom millwork for multimedia systeminstallations to address a consumer's aesthetic requirements (e.g., tomatch room décor) while facilitating flexibility in installation,integration and serviceability of the system. Unfortunately, suchinstallations occupy valuable floor space and are often inelegantlybulky.

In-wall multimedia system installations, on the other hand, while savingon floor space and bulk, lack flexibility for accommodating a consumer'scomponent preferences because many commercial off-the-shelf componentscannot be easily mounted inside the confined space of a wall, andmoreover, in-wall installation of such components may cause heatdissipation problems that can damage the system. In-wall multimediasystem installations further tend to lack upgradability andserviceability due to the typical permanence of in-wall installation andthe subsequent lack of access to in-wall system components.

It would be desirable to provide a mounting apparatus for a multimediasystem and related methods and systems to address some of theseconcerns.

SUMMARY

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide advantages notprovided or only partially provided by the known prior art, and addressthe aforesaid disadvantages and other disadvantages of the known priorart.

In certain embodiments, the AV system may be mounted such thatsubstantially the entire the AV system (other than the display device)is contained within a confined space, for example, within a standard 4″stud wall, with only the display device and wall opening cover beingvisible to the viewer. The in-wall components in one embodiment mayactually fit within about a 3.5″ depth confined in-wall space, forexample, on a yacht, or in any larger space.

Embodiments of the invention may include a cover for concealing aportion of the confined space, dimensioned to cover at least aperipheral portion of an in-wall space at least partially enclosed by anin-wall mounting frame, and adapted to be removably connected to thein-wall mounting frame. An outer edge of the cover may be dimensioned toextend beyond the perimeter of the display device so as to visuallyframe the display device to the viewer. To the viewer, the mounteddisplay device visually appears to “float” on the wall with noimmediately apparent means of attachment. The cover may be chosen tohave a color or visual design that blends with existing room décor.

Advantageously, the use of a removable cover to conceal a peripheralportion of a finished wall opening that would otherwise be visible to aviewer, allows embodiments of the invention to provide a relativelylarge, user-accessible support space within the confined space forsupporting/mounting in-wall components. The user-accessible supportspace may be dimensioned larger than the display device, contrary to oneindustry trend in which display mounting components are made to have asubstantially smaller footprint than the display so that the displaydevice can conceal them.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention may avoid the need forcustom millwork or custom cabinets to hold devices associated with theAV system, nor is it necessary to make multiple cuts or installations ofcomponents within discrete non-conjoined portions of the wall.

Alternatively, embodiments of the invention may be built into articlesof furniture or cabinets having very limited depth or providing only aconfined space within which to situate components of the AV system, suchthat only the display device and a cover is suspended from a verticalwall of the furniture in front of an opening into the confined spacewhere the AV components are housed.

In certain embodiments, the mounting system may be capable of supportingdisplay devices from about 46 inches to about 65 inches diagonally, andis adaptable to support display devices outside this range, for example,by scaling the support member and wall opening cover to a suitable size.

Embodiments of the invention may simplify prewiring installation byproviding dedicated connection points for electrical and low-voltagewiring.

In certain embodiments, the entire AV system may be powered by a hiddenin-wall power distribution module providing individually controllable ACpower outlets for individual signal source components and the displaydevice, as well as low voltage power connections to other components inthe system. One benefit of this arrangement is that end users cancontrol (e.g., turn on/off) the power to individual components withouthaving to access the in-wall space.

Embodiments of the invention may include at least one integral orremovable mounting panel that supports multiple local AV signal sourcecomponents in a hidden confined space proximate the display device.Alternatively, or in addition, the mounting panel may support one ormore signal distribution devices and/or amplification devices within thein-wall space.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention may modularize the designof an AV system by omitting certain AV components from the displaydevice that would perhaps otherwise be integrated with the displaydevice, and instead locating these components in a hidden in-wall space.For example, some embodiments can obviate the need for a TV display tocontain speakers since speakers can be embedded in the wall behind theTV. Consequently, the display device can be made thinner and lesscostly. In addition, components can be implemented within the wall in away that takes advantage of the thickness and height and width of thesupport space available in the wall, thus allowing higher qualitycomponents to be used than would otherwise be used if these componentshad to be embedded in the display device. One example is that in-wallspeakers can be of higher quality than the speakers in a TV.

Accordingly, some embodiments of the invention may provide a compact,elegant and unobtrusive system installation for providing high qualityentertainment or cinema-like experiences, and may include, for example,a display, high performance front loudspeakers and multiple surroundloudspeakers, state-of-the-art multi-channel power amplification,switching and distribution of multiple audio and/or video sources, audioprocessing and decoding for existing Dolby and DTS formats (andadaptable to others) with power distribution and surge protection forall electronics. Any electronics (including speakers) embedded in thewall are hidden from view while in use by an attractive removable cover,yet such components remain accessible, serviceable, and upgradeable to aservice technician upon removal of the cover.

Embodiments of the invention may include dedicated pathways andconnection points for electrical, audio, video, speaker level, data andcommunication, to simplify prewiring and installation and eliminate anypossibility for miswiring internal components. For example, one or moreof the power distribution module, power amplifier, the signal processor,and the plurality of speakers may include connectors operably configuredto mate with complementary connectors electrically connected to a commonpower and signal distribution circuit, to provide a quick, neat, simpleand reliable method of interconnecting these components correctly viathe distribution circuit notwithstanding the limited space available formaking such interconnections.

The system may be readily upgradeable in terms of its looks byunsophisticated persons such as interior designers, and in terms of itshardware, by unsophisticated service technician due to the modularity ofsystem components and the plug-and-play simplicity of theirinterconnection. For example, because the cover is removably mounted, itmay be upgraded by an interior designer to provide a new look byordering a cover with a new designer fabric. To take another example,because a substantial number of the in-wall components of the system arereadily accessible from outside the wall and are removably mounted, thecomponents can be upgraded quickly and easily by a relatively unskilledservice technician with extremely low risk of error.

Apart from supporting simple switching or multiplexing between two ormore AV signal sources, the signal processor may support moresophisticated processing, including decoding of HDMI 1.4, HDCP 2.0, 3D,ARC, and all major Dolby® and DTS® surround formats. However, as newformats and standards are developed, the system may be upgraded byreplacing its hardware (as described above) or by installing newsoftware into the signal processor.

In accordance with one illustrative embodiment, there is provided amounting apparatus for an audio-video system. The mounting apparatusincludes a support member providing a support space for holding at leastone component of the audio-video system, the support member beingoperably configured to be installed in an in-wall space located within awall such that the support space is disposed within the in-wall spaceand is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, the support memberdefining an access region operable to register with the wall opening toprovide access to the support space through the wall opening fromoutside the wall. The mounting apparatus also includes a displaymounting member connected to the support member and operably configuredto mount a display device such that the display device, when mounted, ispositioned outside the wall to conceal a first portion of the in-wallspace from a viewer situated to view the display device from a displayviewing position outside the wall. The mounting apparatus also includesa cover operably configured to be removably mounted in a plane disposedgenerally in parallel to a plane of the wall and interposed between thesupport space and the display device, the cover being dimensioned toconceal a second portion of the in-wall space which would be visible ina line of sight from the viewing position and which would not beconcealed from the viewer by the display device when the display deviceis mounted on the display mounting member.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided amethod of mounting an audio-video system to a wall support located in anin-wall space behind a wall surface supported by the wall support. Themethod involves supporting at least one component of the audio-videosystem in a fixed position relative to the wall support, within asupport space located inside the in-wall space such that the supportspace is accessible from outside the wall surface through an opening inthe wall surface. The method also involves mounting a display device tothe wall support such that the display device is positioned outside thewall surface to conceal a first portion of the in-wall space that wouldotherwise be visible through the opening in the wall surface, to aviewer situated to view the display device from a viewing positionoutside the wall surface. The method also involves obstructing a line ofsight of the viewer at the viewing position in a generally planarobstruction region disposed between the in-wall space and the displaydevice and spaced apart from the display device, the obstruction regionextending beyond a periphery of the display device and being orientedgenerally parallel to a plane of the wall surface, to conceal a secondportion of the in-wall space that would otherwise be visible through theopening in the wall surface to the viewer at the viewing position.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided anapparatus for mounting an audio-video system to a wall support locatedin an in-wall space behind a wall surface supported by the wall support.The apparatus includes means for supporting at least one component ofthe audio-video system in a fixed position relative to the wall support,within a support space located inside the in-wall space such that thesupport space is accessible from outside the wall surface through anopening in the wall surface. The apparatus also includes means formounting a display device to the wall support such that the displaydevice is positioned outside the wall surface to conceal a first portionof the in-wall space that would otherwise be visible through the openingin the wall surface, to a viewer situated to view the display devicefrom a viewing position outside the wall surface. The apparatus alsoincludes means for obstructing a line of sight of the viewer at theviewing position in a generally planar obstruction region disposedbetween the in-wall space and the display device and spaced apart fromthe display device, the obstruction region extending beyond a peripheryof the display device and being oriented generally parallel to a planeof the wall surface, to conceal a second portion of the in-wall spacethat would otherwise be visible through the opening in the wall surfaceto the viewer at the viewing position.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided acover operably configured to be removably mounted between a displaydevice mounted outside a wall and an in-wall space located within thewall and accessible from outside the wall through a wall opening in thewall, the wall opening being dimensioned larger than the display devicein at least one dimension of height and width, wherein the cover isdimensioned to conceal a peripheral portion of the wall opening that isnot otherwise concealed from the viewer by the display device at adisplay viewing position.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided amethod of installing in a wall a mounting apparatus for an audio-videosystem. The method involves connecting a support member of the mountingapparatus to a support for supporting a wall surface and located in anin-wall space of the wall, the support member being operably configuredto support at least one component of the audio-video system in a supportspace within the in-wall space. The method also involves mounting afirst signal source device on a signal source device mounting membersupported by the support member, wherein both the signal source devicemember and the first signal source device are located in the supportspace within the in-wall space. The method also involves removablymounting a cover to conceal at least a peripheral portion of the in-wallspace from a display viewing position outside the wall. The method alsoinvolves mounting a display device to a display mount member supportedby the support member, such that the display device is spaced apart fromthe wall and held in front of the wall to be viewable by a viewerlocated at the display viewing position, the display device beingpositioned to conceal a generally central portion of the in-wall spacefrom the viewer at the display viewing position. The method alsoinvolves electrically coupling a first signal from the first signalsource device in the support space to the display device. The displaydevice and cover, when both mounted, cooperate to conceal the entiretyof the in-wall space from the viewer at the display viewing position.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided anaudio-video system. The audio-video system includes a support memberproviding a support space for holding components of the audio-videosystem, the support member being installed in an in-wall space locatedwithin a wall such that the support space is disposed within the in-wallspace and is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, the supportmember defining an access region operable to register with the wallopening to provide access to the support space through the wall openingfrom outside the wall. The audio-video system also includes a displaymounting member connected to the support member and operably configuredto mount a display device such that the display device is positionedoutside the wall. The audio-video system also includes a signalprocessor operably configured to receive a plurality of input signalsfrom a plurality of signal sources and to generate a first output signalto the display device based on the plurality of input signals, thesignal processor being mounted in the support space. The audio-videosystem also includes a display device mounted on the display mountingmember and spaced apart from the first signal source, the display devicebeing configured to receive the first output signal from the signalprocessor.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, there is provided anentertainment system having a positionable in-wall loudspeaker mounting.The entertainment system includes a support member providing a supportspace for holding at least one component of the audio-video system, thesupport member being operably configured to be installed in an in-wallspace located within a wall such that the support space is disposedwithin the in-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of thewall, the support member defining an access region operable to registerwith the wall opening to provide access to the support space through thewall opening from outside the wall. The entertainment system alsoincludes a display mounting member connected to the support member andoperably configured to mount a display device such that the displaydevice, when mounted, is positioned outside the wall to conceal a firstportion of the in-wall space from a viewer situated to view the displaydevice from a display viewing position outside the wall. Theentertainment system also includes a support member providing a supportspace for holding at least one component of the audio-video system, thesupport member being operably configured to be installed in an in-wallspace located within a wall such that the support space is disposedwithin the in-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of thewall, the support member defining an access region operable to registerwith the wall opening to provide access to the support space through thewall opening from outside the wall. The entertainment system alsoincludes a loudspeaker mounting member including a guide for receiving aloudspeaker enclosure into a mounted position in which the loudspeakerwill project sound in a line of sight towards a viewer position withoutobstruction of the sound by the display device.

It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to theembodiments described in this summary section, but may also beimplemented in numerous different embodiments. Moreover, this summarysection does not purport to exhaustively summarize all advantages ofevery possible embodiment of the invention. It should be appreciatedthat different embodiments of the invention may provide differentadvantages relative to each other and relative to the prior art and mayaddress different disadvantages present in the prior art.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of specific embodiments of the invention together with theaccompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an audio-video system and anapparatus for mounting the audio-video system in a wall;

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of a room featuring an installedaudio-video system including a display device such as a TV mounted to awall with a substantial proportion of the electronic components of thesystem concealed within the wall and thus invisible, the system beingviewed from a viewer position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective front view of the audio-video system shown inFIG. 2, with the display device, wall surface, and a wall opening covernot yet installed (or removed) thereby making electronic componentssupported within the wall visible from the viewer position adopted inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective front view of the support member operativelyconfigured to support the plurality electronic components in a sportspace adjacent to support member, support member being adapted to bemounted to a wall support member in the wall (such as a wooden 2″×4″wall framing stud);

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view (at an upwardly inclined angle) ofthe top portion of the support member shown in FIG. 4, the supportmember having an attached subwoofer mount for slidingly and removablymounting a subwoofer within the wall;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a line voltage connection membersupported by the support member, connected to a line voltage andconfigured to provide the line voltage to a locking receptacle operableto engage an electrical cable having a connector complementary to thereceptacle to convey the line voltage to a power distribution module;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the low voltage connection membersupported by the support member operable to receive and make a pluralityof low-voltage connections especially with respect to the outside world;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a power distribution module receiving aline voltage from the line voltage connection member of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an AV signal processorwhich may include amplification and switching functions, the signalprocessor being supported by the support member in the in-wall space;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the support member,and showing an audio power amplifier interconnected to the powerdistribution module and the signal processor via a common distributioncircuit;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the support memberwith the plurality of speakers (e.g., LCR speakers) received in areceptacle formed in the support member for receiving speakers, thespeakers being electrically coupled to the power amplifier shown in FIG.10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the top portion of the support memberfor their showing a subwoofer enclosure that has been removablyinstalled in the subwoofer mount and position to a particular verticalposition;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the support member having the aforesaidcomponents attached thereto and also having an equipment mounting membermounting a plurality of components and devices in a support space of thesupport number:

FIG. 14, is a perspective view of the support member of FIG. 13 andfurther including a wall surface interface member affixed to the frontsurface of the support member, the wall surface interface memberdefining a substantial portion of an outer periphery of the apparatus inthe wall with respect to the wall surface;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the sport member of FIG. 14 and furtherincluding a display mounting member for mounting a display device andposition and plane outside of and spaced part from the plane of theouter surface of the wall in which the apparatus is installed;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the support member of FIG. 15 andfurther including a wall opening cover mounted to obstruct the view ofit be some components mounted within the support member area, the wallopening cover being dimentioned to conceal a least a peripheral portionof the in-wall space;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the support member according to adifferent embodiment than that shown in FIG. 4, the support memberhaving a self-aligning mounting mechanism for several modules;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the top portion of the support memberof FIG. 17, the support member having an attached subwoofer mountoperatively configured to isolate the vibrations of the subwoofer fromthe wall structure, FIG. 18 also illustrating the use of a temporarybrace to ensure accurate alignment while affixing the apparatus to thewall structure;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the support member of FIG. 17 furtherpopulated with additional components in the support space, including aplurality of AV signal sources, communication and computing equipment,mounted in the middle portion of the support space, FIG. 19 alsoillustrating further embodiments of a subwoofer enclosure and a wallsurface interface member;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the support member being covered by aprotective cover intended for use while the apparatus and wall surfaceare being installed, the protective cover being slidingly expandable tocover a range of sizes of the support space (which is varied based onthe size of the display device), the protective cover being attached tothe wall surface interface member;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the support space when populated withmany components and devices, the support space including a displaydevice mounting member including vertical hangers cooperativelyconfigured to facilitate precise mounting of the display devicethroughout a range of horizontal and vertical positions such that thedisplay device is centered relative to the wall opening cover (which ismounted prior to the display device being mounted);

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 21 after thewall opening cover is installed by hanging it on the wall surfaceinterface member using a combination of French cleats (to hang the topportion of the cover) and magnetic attachment to a variable depth spaceron the support member (to fix the bottom portion of the cover);

FIG. 23 as a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 22 with thecloth fabric of the wall opening cover removed for the purposes ofillustration, thereby revealing an inner opening of the cover throughwhich the display devices mounted outside the wall and through which apower cable and/or one or more signal cables are run from inside thewall to the display device outside the wall, the inner opening alsofacilitating cooling inside the wall;

FIG. 24 is a slightly angled front perspective view of the embodiment ofFIG. 23 after installation of the AV system has been completed,including mounting of the wall opening cover and the display device onthe wall, the cover concealing the least a peripheral portion of thein-wall space from the viewer;

FIG. 25 is a side perspective view of the display device and cover ofFIG. 24 from an extreme angle that is unsuitable as a viewing positionfor the display device, and yet the cover still serves to obstruct theview of electrical components in the wall due to the overlap of an innerportion of the cover with the projection of the outline of the displaydevice onto the plane of the cover;

FIG. 26 is a time series of five side section views of the supportmember of FIGS. 18-25 as a subwoofer enclosure is gradually moved intoan operating position in the subwoofer mount, the subwoofer mount andsubwoofer enclosure having a self-alignment mechanism including a guideand centering pins for ensuring that the subwoofer is accuratelycentered in the in-wall space;

FIG. 27 is a top sectional view of the wall, including the supportmember embedded within the wall, and the wall opening cover and displaydevice situated outside the wall surface and configured to obstruct theview of any electronic components located within the wall;

FIG. 28 is a top sectional view of a plurality of receptacles of thesupport member in the process of receiving left, right and centerspeaker enclosures, respectively, into a mounted position, and FIG. 29is an enlarged partial front sectional view of one of the receptaclesand showing an audio connector at the rear of the receptacle, FIGS. 28and 29 together illustrating a self-alignment mechanism whereby movementof the enclosures into the receptacles along a first axis, causesautomatic alignment along a second axis with an audio signal connectorat the rear of the receptacle in response to deflection from two spacedapart guide members, and whereby the guide members each include alocking surface for engaging a complementary locking surface on theenclosures to lock the speakers against movement along a third axis,wherein the first, second and third axes are orthogonal to each other;

FIG. 30A is an alternate embodiment of the cover operably configured tobe recessed into a wall opening surrounding and behind the displaydevice so as to be generally flush with the final wall surface;

FIG. 30B is an alternate embodiment of the cover wherein the cover isformed of a plurality of pieces, joined at the respective corners of thecover;

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment in which thedisplay device is connected to the wall via an articulating mountingmember;

FIG. 32 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the support memberwith a different arrangement of the speakers, namely, with the left andright speakers respectively disposed to the left and right of thedisplay device position when pointed, and including a cover dimensionedand positioned to cover and conceal anything visible in the in-wallspace including the speakers;

FIG. 33 is a bottom angled perspective view of one embodiment of thesignal processor device having a plurality of digital and analogconnectors (inputs and outputs) for audio, video, control and/or datasignals, the signal processor having a plurality of hangers whereby thesignal processor may be automatically aligned while being mounted on thesupport member, such that one or more connectors on a bottom portion ofthe signal processor may effectively mate with complementary connectorson the support member; and

FIG. 34 is an alternative embodiment of a mounting mechanism for thewall opening cover wherein the wall opening cover uses mutually engagingconnectors on the cover and the finished wall surface to suspend thecover behind the display device and in front of the wall opening leadingto the in-wall space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an audio-video system according to one embodimentof the invention is shown generally at 10. The system 10 includes amounting apparatus 12 for mounting the audio-video system to a wallsupport 16 located behind a wall surface 104 in an in-wall space 18. Themounting apparatus 12, and thus the system 10, includes a support member20 for supporting at least one component in a support space 22 withinthe in-wall space 18, a display mounting member 30 for mounting adisplay device 40, and a cover 100 for concealing at least a portion ofthe in-wall space 18 that would otherwise be visible to a viewerpositioned outside the wall 14 to view the display device 40, forexample, a person sitting in the room and watching TV on the displaydevice 40.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 includes a plurality ofdevices and components supported by the support member 20 in the supportspace 22 within the wall. The devices and components that are supportedby the support member 20 may be mounted directly to the support member20, or may be indirectly supported by the support member 20 through amounting mechanism, for example, they may be mounted to a removablemounting panel or bracket that, in turn, is supported by the supportmember 20.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a power distribution module 50,a multi-channel audio power amplifier 60, a signal processor 70, one ormore signal source devices 110, 112, and a plurality of speakers 80including a subwoofer 180, all supported by the support member 20 in thesupport space 22. The system 10 further includes a display device 40mounted outside the support space 22 and outside the wall 14 andconfigured to cooperate with the components and devices within thesupport space 22 to produce a coordinated audio-visual presentation tothe viewer.

In general, the system 10 includes a video subsystem and an audiosubsystem. The video subsystem includes any internally-supported signalsource devices or external signal sources that provide video signals,the display device 40 and the signal processor 70. The audio subsystemincludes any internally-supported signal source devices or externalsignal sources that provide audio signals, as well as the poweramplifier 60 and the speakers. The embodiments where the signalprocessor 70 is capable of processing (including switching) both audioand video, it forms a part of both the audio and video subsystems. Thesignal processor 70 may include an AV preamp and/or a digital signalprocessing (DSP) circuit for transforming the audio- or video-stream.

The power distribution module 50 provides AC power and low-voltage powerto various devices and components of the audio-video system 10.

The plurality of loudspeakers, may include left, center and rightspeakers (also known as LCR speakers), however, it will be appreciatedthat many other configurations including 2 channel stereo, 2.1 channelstereo, 5.1/7.1 surround configurations or larger are possible. In someembodiments, one or more of the speakers (or even all the speakers) maybe provided externally to the support space 22. The loudspeakers andsubwoofer 180 produce high-quality audio in response to signalsoriginating from the signal processor 70 that have been furtheramplified by the power amplifier 60. The signal source apparatuses ordevices can produce at least one AV signal source output for use by atleast one of the audio and video subsystems.

Low-voltage power may be provided from the power distribution module 50to the power amplifier 60 and signal processor 70 via a distributioncircuit 90 mounted in the support space 22. Audio signals from thesignal processor 70 may be connected to the power amplifier 60 andforwarded to the speakers through the distribution circuit 90.Similarly, speaker level audio signals from the power amplifier 60 maybe transferred to the speakers via the distribution circuit 90. Thedistribution circuit 90 may be simultaneously carrying power and AVsignals and may include a backplane or bus to facilitate distribution ofelectrical signals. The distribution circuit 90 may also carry controland data signals in some embodiments. The distribution circuit 90 mayinclude a first plurality of connectors operably configured to mate witha complementary second plurality of corresponding connectors on one ormore of the power distribution module 50, power amplifier 60, the signalprocessor 70, and the plurality of speakers 80, to provide a quick,neat, simple and reliable method of interconnecting these componentscorrectly with respect to power, AV signals, control signals or data,notwithstanding the limited in-wall space available for making suchinterconnections. Examples of the first plurality of connectors include510, 610, 710, 830, 850, 870 in FIG. 4, and 512, 514, 612, 614, 616,712, 714, 716, 830, 850 and 870 in FIG. 17. Examples of the secondplurality of connectors include 51, 61, 71, 83, 85, 87 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the system 10 shown inFIG. 1 after it has been completely installed, as viewed by a humanviewer located in a particular viewing position suitable for viewing thedisplay device 40. This particular viewing position is displaced about20 to 30° to the side from a direct viewing position in front of andperpendicular to the display device 40. As seen in FIG. 1, most of thecomponents of the audio-video system 10 are housed inside the wall 14with the exception of an on-wall cover 100 and the display device 40(e.g., a TV), which are disposed in front of the wall surface 104 anddid not occupy any space within the wall 14 in this embodiment.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is shown withthe display device 40, cover 100, and the wall surface 104 removed. Thesystem 10 includes a mounting apparatus 12 for mounting an audio-video(AV) system 10, the mounting apparatus 12 including a support member 20operably configured to support at least one component of the AV system10 in a support space 22 adjacent the support member 20. The supportmember 20 is adapted to be mounted to at least one wall support, towhich a final wall surface 104 will be attached and by which the wallsurface is supported in a position between a floor and the ceiling ofthe room. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the wall surface 104 issupported with wooden wall supports, namely, a plurality of verticallyoriented 2×4 wooden studs spaced apart 16 inches on center. In otherembodiments, the wall support could be different, for example, it couldinclude a steel stud or poured concrete. In other contexts, for example,on a yacht, the wall 14 may include aluminum or fiberglass supports, towhich the mounting apparatus 12 may be secured.

FIG. 3 also illustrates how, in one embodiment, the mounting apparatus12 for mounting an audio-video system 10 would be installed at an earlystage of construction of a wood-framed building, before the installationhas commenced of the ultimate wall surface 104, which may be typicallygypsum wallboard or drywall. It will be appreciated that if an alreadybuilt wall is renovated or retrofitted in accordance with the presentinvention, it may be necessary to remove at least a portion of theexisting wall surface 104 in order to connect the support member 20 toone of the wall supports. Advantageously, in this embodiment, it isunnecessary to cut out multiple sections of drywall from different areasof the wall 14; only one continuous section of the wall surface 104 isremoved in order to provide an opening 102 in the wall surface throughwhich the support member 20 can be inserted into the in-wall space 18and secured.

Support Member

Referring now to FIG. 4, a support member 20 of the mounting apparatus12 is shown according to one embodiment. The support member 20 isoperably configured to support a plurality of components and devices inan adjacent support space 22, and is further configured to be installed(together with any items supported in the support space 22), into anin-wall space 18 within a wall, for example, by being mounted to a wallsupport, such as a wooden wall stud. Alternatively, items may be mountedto be supported by the support member 20 in the support space 22 afterthe support member 20 has been installed in a wall.

The support member 20 in the embodiment of FIG. 4 includes a generallybox-shaped frame constructed of high-quality powder coated steel oranother suitable material. The support member 20 has a top side, abottom side, a left side, a right side, a front side and a rear side.The front side of the support member 20 is generally open to provide asupport space 22 for holding components. The rear side of the supportmember 20 includes a sheet or plate to which components may be mounted.The left and right sides include respective left and right flanges thatmay be used to mount the support member 20 to a wall support. Thesupport member 20 includes a plurality of multi-conductor connectorsincluding a connector for a power distribution module 50, a connectorfor an AV preamp or processor, a connector for a multichannel audioamplifier, and a plurality of connectors corresponding to respectiveloudspeakers that may be mounted on the support member 20. The supportmember 20 further includes a transversely oriented guide member operableto help guide a plurality of components to align with and connect to theaforesaid connectors. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the guide memberhelps to align the power amplifier 60 and a plurality of loudspeakers tomate with the corresponding connectors on the support member 20. Abottom side of the guide member forms an upper portion of a channel forreceiving the loudspeakers into mounted position on the support member20. In this embodiment, the guide member includes a shelf spanning andconnected to the left and right flanges.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the support member 20 in this embodiment isdimensioned to be installed into any location with a minimum depth ofabout 3.5 inches to about 4 inches or greater. This support member 20depth is compatible with the vast majority of both new construction andrenovation applications in North America that typically used 2″×4″ inchnominal wall framing as a minimum. In this embodiment, a rough opening102 in the wall framing of about 48″×48″ is used to support a wide rangeof display device 40 sizes of about 46 inches to about 65 inches in oneembodiment. Once the support member 20 has been installed within thewall, a portion of the wall surface 104 may be replaced such that thefinal opening 102 in the wall surface is less than the initial 48″×48″opening. Once installation of the system 10 is complete, the openingvisible to a viewer of the display device 40 is only slightly largerthan the outer dimensions of a television or other display device 40.

Depending on the embodiment, the support member 20 may include dedicatedspaces, mounting points, alignment guides and, in some cases,connections for the subwoofer 180, LCR speakers 80, power distributionmodule 50, AV pre-amp/processor, power amplifier 60, an AV signal sourcemounting plate, a wall surface interface member, a display mountingsystem, or some combination thereof. The support member 20 may includededicated junction boxes, conduit openings and/or connection points toallow the installation and connection of the required electrical powerat the pre-construction stage, prior to the installation of the finalwall surface (typically gypsum wall board or similar). These items maybe an integral or permanent part of the support member 20 or may beremovably mounted. Likewise, the support member 20 may provide these oranalogous features to facilitate low voltage connections being made inthe support area by an electronic systems contractor or servicetechnician.

The support member 20 provides an access region for accessing itemssupported by the support member 20. In this embodiment, the accessregion includes an open side portion of the support member 20 operableto register with a corresponding wall opening 102 when the supportmember 20 is installed in a wall, to facilitate access to the linevoltage and low-voltage connections (and other internal components) forservice through the wall opening 102 even after installation of the wallsurface. As will be described below, in normal use, the wall opening 102is kept hidden behind the display device 40 and/or the cover 100.

Subwoofer Mount

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 18, in some embodiments, the support member 20may include a subwoofer mount 182 for mounting a subwoofer 180 in thesupport space 22. The subwoofer mount 182 may include a subwoofermounting bracket that is positioned or attached to the top side of thesupport member 20 and is further affixed to the wall support 16. Thesubwoofer mount is configured to slidingly receive the subwooferenclosure into an operating position thereby permitting the installationof a subwoofer loudspeaker after the final wall surface has beeninstalled and after installation of the support member 20 in the wall.

In one embodiment (FIG. 5), the subwoofer mounting bracket includesintegral threaded mounting points and associated speaker support clampsto provide the ability to adjust the vertical positioning and placementof the subwoofer. In another embodiment (FIG. 18), the subwoofer mountincludes a self-aligning mechanism including centering pins on thesubwoofer mounting bracket that are adapted to cooperate with acorresponding guide on the sides of a subwoofer enclosure toprogressively align the subwoofer enclosure as it is pressed into itsfinal centered mounted position.

Installation of the subwoofer enclosure in the latter embodiment isfurther illustrated in FIG. 26. FIG. 26 provides a series of five sidesectional views illustrating (from left to right) the progress ofinstallation of the subwoofer enclosure at five consecutive points oftime. The subwoofer enclosure is pressed against the back surface of thesupport member 20 and lifted upwards until a first centering pin on thesubwoofer bracket enters a funnel-shaped first portion of the guide onthe side of the subwoofer enclosure. Further movements of the subwooferenclosure in the installation direction cause the enclosure to becentered due to the first centering pin entering a more constrictedportion of the guide. Further upward movement of the enclosure causesthe first centering pin to move along the guide in a nonlinear pathdefined by second, third and fourth portions of the guide, each defininga path oriented at a slightly different angle. As the enclosure movestowards its final operating position, the second centering pin entersthe funnel-shaped portion of the guide. Eventually, the first and secondpins come to rest in the fourth and second portions of the guide,respectively, whereby the subwoofer enclosure is held in its finaloperating position, precisely centered within the mount and also withinthe in-wall space, such that the enclosure is spaced apart approximatelyequally from the inner wall surfaces on either side of it. In anotherembodiment, the guides could be implemented on the subwoofer mountingbracket with the centering pins being on the enclosure.

Vertical adjustment of the subwoofer loudspeaker allows the installer toprecisely align a subwoofer driver opening from which sound will exit,between the top of the display device 40 and an upper edge of thesupport space cover 100 in order to minimize the blockage of sound fromthe subwoofer by the display device 40.

In this embodiment, vertical adjustment of the subwoofer loudspeakerallows the support member 20 to accommodate display devices 40 ofvarious sizes without the display device 40 interfering with the soundoutput from the subwoofer. Moving the subwoofer to a higher positionopens up a portion of the support space 22 below the subwoofer, and thissupport space 22 portion may be used to support other system components.Moving the subwoofer to a lower position reduces the vertical dimensionof the wall surface used by the system 10 in cases where a smallerdisplay devices 40 is used, thereby reducing the overall footprint ofthe installation. In some embodiments, the mounting position of thesubwoofer may be horizontally adjustable, or the subwoofer may belocated in a different location, such as the bottom side of the supportmember 20.

The subwoofer mount may include a physical means of isolating it fromthe support member 20 and the structure of the wall (or a different kindof mounting cavity). For example, referring to FIG. 18, the subwoofermount may be isolated from the points to which it is affixed byvibration isolators which may include PVC/rubber/neoprene isolationgrommets added at the mounting points of the subwoofer mount, forexample, the point at which the subwoofer mount is screwed into thesupport member 20 at one end and the wall supports (e.g., wood framingof the wall) at the other end. The vibration isolators provide a singlemounting hole for affixing but are also designed such that no actualphysical contact is made between the subwoofer mount and the supportmember 20 or framing support structure (see FIG. 18).

The subwoofer mount may also include subwoofer centering pins 198, 199.These pins, along with a corresponding slot opening 186 in both ends ofthe subwoofer enclosure, cooperate to precisely position the enclosurein the centre of the available space such that it does not make physicalcontact with the front or back wall surfaces. This embodiment isdesigned to create physical separation between the subwoofer enclosureand the wall surfaces, further reducing the transmission of vibrationfrom the subwoofer enclosure to the surrounding wall structure. A foamisolation strip may be located in the narrow space between the side ofthe subwoofer enclosure and the subwoofer mounting bracket to furtherreduce any transmission of vibration to the wall.

Distribution Circuit

The system 10 may include a distribution circuit 90, supported by thesupport member 20, for distributing both low voltage power and varioussignals to selected components mounted on or to the support member 20.

The distribution circuit 90 may include an integrated signal and powerbus or backplane interconnecting a plurality of spaced apart systemdevices. The distribution circuit 90 may include one or a series ofheavy duty printed circuit boards installed in the lower portion of thesupport member 20 (e.g., the connectors shown in FIG. 17 connect to thedistribution circuit 90). In one embodiment, the distribution circuit 90includes connections and signal pathways for a variety of signal typesincluding low voltage power, speaker level signals, digital and/oranalogue control signals, digital and/or analogue audio and/or videosource signals, and Ethernet or other forms of data signals. Thisarrangement allows the internal devices within the support space 22supported by the support member 20 to be directly connected to oneanother through the pathways on the integrated signal and power bus,thus obviating the need for bulky wiring and enabling the full depth ofthe equipment mounting member to be exploited for mounting internalcomponents, while also reducing the need for interconnection wiring andthe risk of devices being connected improperly. Suitable connectorspairs for connecting the power distribution module 50, power amplifier60 and/or the signal processor 70 to respective points of thedistribution circuit 90 may be chosen, for example, from the Samtec™MPT, MPS, MPTC, and MPSC series of complementary connectors, which mayinclude both straight and right-angled versions of the connectors.

Referring to FIG. 17, a plurality of connectors are mounted adjacent theshelf 62 for interconnecting the power distribution module 50, themultichannel power amplifier 60, and the signal processor 70, through adistribution circuit 90, which may include a backplane implemented usingone or more printed circuit boards and mounted to the support member.

Referring now to the connectors mounted above the shelf 62, connector512 connects the power distribution module 50 to the distributioncircuit 90 and connects to the multi-channel power amplifier 60 throughconnector 514 and to the AV signal processor 70 through connector 714.Connector 514 connects the multichannel power amplifier 60 to thedistribution circuit and connects low voltage power signals from thepower distribution module 50 through connector 512. Connector 714connects the AV signal processor 70 to the distribution circuit andconnects low voltage power signals from the power distribution module 50through connector 512. In some embodiments, more than one level of lowvoltage power may be supplied over the distribution circuit.

Connectors 612, 614, and 616 cooperate to connect the multichannel poweramplifier 60 to the distribution circuit 90. These connectors carryspeaker level audio to the left channel speaker through connector 830,to the center channel speaker through connector 850, to the rightchannel speaker through connector 870, and to the subwoofer and/or thesurround speakers through connector 716 to connections mounted at thetop of the signal processor 70 enclosure.

Connector 712 connects the multichannel power amplifier 60 to thedistribution circuit, and carries digital control signals as well asdigital audio signals from the AV signal processor 70 through connector714. Connector 714 connects the AV signal processor 70 to thedistribution circuit, and carries both digital control signals anddigital audio signals to the multichannel power amplifier 60 throughconnector 712. Connector 716 connects the AV signal processor 70 to thedistribution circuit, and carries speaker level audio from the poweramplifier 60 through connectors 612, 614 and 616 to the subwoofer andsurround speakers at the top of the AV signal processor 70 enclosure.

Referring now to the connectors mounted below the shelf 62, connector830 connects the left channel speaker to the distribution circuit andcarries speaker level audio from the power amplifier 60 throughconnectors 612, 614, and 616. Connector 850 connects the center channelspeaker to the distribution circuit, and carries speaker level audiofrom the power amplifier 60 through connectors 612, 614 and 616.Connector 870 connects the right channel speaker to the distributioncircuit, and carries speaker level audio from the power amplifier 60through connectors 612, 614 and 616.

Line Voltage Connection Member

Referring to FIG. 6, the support member 20 may further include a linevoltage connection member 120, located within the support space 22 ofthe support member 20. In this embodiment, the line voltage connectionmember 120 may include a metal enclosure with a removable front coverheld in place by fasteners such as machine screws. The line voltageconnection member 120 provides a dedicated physical location in thesupport space 22 for termination of line voltage electrical powerentering the support member 20 for use by components in the supportarea. Once the support member 20 has been mounted to the wall support,an electrical contractor can run the required electrical powerconductors to this location, and connect them within the enclosure to aline voltage receptacle accessible from an outer surface of the linevoltage connection member 120. Once the electrical circuit connection iscomplete, it can be tested and verified. This allows the electricalcontractor to complete his work very early in the construction processand removes the requirement for any further involvement by theelectrical contractor in the process of system installation. A powercable can then be connected to the line voltage receptacle and used toprovide power to the power distribution module 50, which in turn canprovide line and low-voltage power to other components of the system 10.

Low Voltage Connection Member

Referring to FIG. 7, the support member 20 further includes alow-voltage connection member 130. In this embodiment, the low-voltageconnection member 130 is mounted to the support member 20 and includes ametal enclosure with a removable front cover held in place by fastenerssuch as machine screws. The low-voltage connection member 130 provides adedicated physical location in the support space 22 for the terminationof low-voltage cables and services entering the support member 20. Onits outer surface, the enclosure may provide a plurality of low-voltagereceptacles and connectors for making low-voltage signal connections.Once the support member 20 has been mounted to the wall support, anelectronics systems contractor or other installer can run the requiredlow voltage cables to this location, and make good and test allconnections. Alternatively, the contractor or installer may leave thecables coiled for future termination during final installation. Thisconnection member 130 is operatively configured to be used to providelow-voltage signals (including, but not limited to, AV, Data, CATV,Contact Closure, IR/Serial/IP Control. Speaker/Line Level audio) tosystem components as desired.

Power Distribution Module

Referring to FIG. 8, the support member 20 may further support a powerdistribution module 50. In this embodiment, the power distributionmodule 50 is a dedicated power distribution and management devicelocated in the support space 22, and mounted to the support member 20 bymeans of fasteners such as machine screws. The power distribution module50 includes a dedicated power cable having a plug which provides alocking connection to the line voltage receptacle 122 of the linevoltage connection member 120, thereby providing electrical power to thepower distribution module 50. In this embodiment, the power distributionmodule 50 is the sole distribution point of line and low-voltageelectrical power within the support space 22. The power distributionmodule 50 may include a plurality of AC power receptacles (typically 6)spaced apart to support multiple power supply connections, a circuitbreaker, a surge suppression circuit providing industrial grade surgeprotection (e.g., to survive 6000V/3000 A surge pulse events, greaterthan a thousand times), and low-voltage power distribution for variouscomponents. The power distribution module 50 may produce a plurality ofdifferent low voltages for different devices.

The power distribution module 50 distributes low-voltage power through adistribution circuit to the multichannel amplifier and the signalprocessor 70. In one embodiment, the distribution circuit includes aribbon cable connection from the power distribution module 50 to acomplementary connector mounted on the support member 20 andelectrically connected to the respective connectors associated with themultichannel amplifier and signal processor 70. In another embodiment,the distribution circuit includes one or more printed circuit boards(PCB's) for transferring low voltage power from the power distributionmodule 50 to the power amplifier 60 and/or to the signal processor 70.

The power distribution module 50 may be operably configured to monitorvoltage and/or amperage for each AC power outlet. If an excessivevoltage and/or amperage is detected, the power distribution module 50may be operably configured to shut down one or more individual AC poweroutlets and/or to cause a notification to be sent to the owner.Optionally, the power distribution module 50 may provide Web-based powermanagement and control of individual AC receptacles. The powerdistribution module 50 may cause notifications of unusual power supplyevents to be sent by email in some embodiments.

Signal Processor/Preamplifier

Referring to FIG. 9, the support member 20 may further support an AVprocessor/preamplifier 70 within the support space 22 and mounted to thesupport member 20 by means of removable fasteners such as machinescrews. In this embodiment, the signal processor 70 receives powerthrough a distribution circuit interconnecting the power distributionmodule 50 and the signal processor 70. The distribution circuit mayinclude a ribbon cable connected from the signal processor 70 to asuitable connector mounted on the support member 20 and interconnectedto a connector associated with the power distribution module 50. Thesignal processor 70 may also provide signals to the power amplifier 60and/or the power distribution module 50.

An alternative embodiment of the signal processor 70 shown in FIG. 33.In this embodiment, the signal processor 70 s shown from a rearperspective viewpoint which illustrates that the rear side of the signalprocessor 70 includes a pair of hangers operatively configured to alignthe signal processor 70 when it is mounted on the support member 20 suchthat a plurality of ports are connectors disposed on the bottom portionof the signal processor 70, or precisely aligned with correspondingconnectors and ports on the distribution circuit to thereby interconnectthe signal processor 70 with all necessary signal and power lines.

Referring to FIG. 33, in this illustrative embodiment, the signalprocessor 70 includes a plurality of network ports as shown generally at700 (e.g., one Ethernet input, and five Ethernet outputs, which may beconnected to Ethernet switching circuitry), a plurality of digital AVports as shown generally at 702 (e.g., one HDMI output port and six HDMIinput ports, which can be redirected to the HDMI output port, with orwithout processing), a plurality of analogue audio ports as showngenerally at 704 (e.g., analogue audio jacks for two input stereochannels and one output stereo channel), a set of digital audio inputsand outputs as shown generally at 706 (e.g., optical/toslink digitalaudio connection ports such as S/PDIF), a plurality of microphone inputchannels as shown generally at 708, and miscellaneous control inputs andoutputs including an RS-232 port and optionally a remote control port.The ports may also include a reset switch for resetting the signalprocessor 70 or another component of the system.

The signal processor 70 may include one or more of the followingfunctions:

-   -   A compact form factor allows placement within the support member        20;    -   supports audio configurations for Monaural, 2 channel & 2.1        channel stereo, 3.1 channel and 5.1/7.1 and larger surround        configurations;    -   audio processing/decoding features may include support for        Dolby/DTS/THX and/or other formats;    -   Multiple HDMI inputs (e.g., HDMI 1.4, DHCP 2.0 compliant);    -   A plurality of analog audio and/or video inputs and outputs;    -   pre-amplification circuit is applied to any AV signals which do        not have a suitable level for input to the multichannel        amplifier;    -   IR/Serial and IP control of all functions may be provided for        integration with external control systems;    -   Full Web-based set-up and control including saving and cloning        of configurations may be provided; and    -   Managed Ethernet switch may be provided in the signal processor        70.

The signal processor 70 may include integral pathways for routing anddistribution of speaker level signals to loudspeakers which are notimmediately proximate the multichannel amplifier. For example, thesignal processor 70 may receive speaker level signals from themultichannel amplifier via the distribution circuit, and may route thesesignals to a subwoofer and/or to surround speakers located external tothe support space 22. In one embodiment, the subwoofer may be located atthe top of the support member 20.

Multi-Channel Power Amplifier

Referring to FIG. 10, the support member 20 may further support amultichannel power amplifier 60 in the support space 22. In thisembodiment, the power amplifier 60 delivers a combination of audioquality, output power, efficiency and reliability to ensure animpressive entertainment experience.

As shown in FIG. 10, the power amplifier 60 may have a compact elongateform factor allowing placement of the amplifier in a narrow spaceadjacent a plurality of loudspeakers. In contrast to some other AVreceiver devices, which provide power amplification circuitry adjacentto a plurality of AV input/output ports and/or signal processingcircuitry, the present embodiment separates the input and processing ofAV device signals into a signal stage (carried out in the signalprocessor 70) and a power amplification stage (carried out in the poweramplifier 60), which are spaced apart and communicate with each otherover a distribution circuit including a signal backplane. Because all ofthe bulky AV input/output ports and most, if not all, of the electronichardware associated with AV signal processing is located in the signalprocessor 70 and not the spaced apart power amplifier 60, it is possibleto avoid making the power stage bulky. By separating out the signalstage from the power stage in this way, it is possible to fit the poweramplifier 60 into a relatively thin, elongate form factor as shown. Insome embodiments, the power amplifier 60 may include hardware fordigital signal processing relating to speaker-related cross-overcalculations and frequency equalization, which does not add much bulk.

Thus, the power amplifier 60 can provide a high total power output forits size at a low power consumption and low operating temperatures. Thepower amplifier 60 may have a modular design operably configured toallow different number of output channels to be configured on a persystem basis. In some embodiments, all power, audio, control and speakerlevel signals of the power amplifier 80 are connected via thedistribution circuit, which may include an integrated signal and powerbus. For example, the power amplifier 60 may include a connectoroperable to interface with a complementary connector on the supportmember 20 and connected via the distribution circuit to the powerdistribution module 50, the signal processor 70, and a plurality ofloudspeakers.

LCR Loudspeakers 80

The system 10 further includes a plurality of loudspeakers supported bythe support member 20 in the support space 22. Referring to FIG. 11, insome embodiments, the system 10 includes left, center and rightloudspeakers 82, 84, 86 (i.e., LCR speakers 80) which may be located atrespective left, center and right positions in the support space 22. Forexample, the speakers 80 may be mounted in a horizontal configurationtowards a bottom side of the support member 20. In one embodiment, theLCR loudspeakers 80 include speakers each having a slot. The LCRloudspeakers 80 are positioned and oriented to direct sound waves towarda viewer generally located in front of the display device 40.

The LCR loudspeakers 80 will remain completely concealed behind asupport space cover 100 when the system 10 is fully installed and inoperation. In embodiments where the cover 100 includes a fabrictransparent to audio waves (i.e., an acoustically-transparent fabric),the audio from the LCR loudspeakers 80 will pass through the cover 100just below the display device 40 with a minimum of interference. The LCRloudspeakers 80 may include an integral connector designed to mate witha complementary connector located on a rear surface of the supportmember 20. The connections provided through the respective connectorsprovide speaker level audio to each of the LCR loudspeakers 80. The LCRloudspeakers 80 may also include a positioning system operativelyconfigured to ensure that, when the LCR loudspeakers 80 are beinginserted, the connectors on the speaker and on the support member 20 areprecisely aligned to ensure a correct and positive connection. Thisarrangement removes the requirement for a more standard “wired”connection between the power amplifier 60 and the LCR loudspeakers 80and furthermore, reduces the possibility of the loudspeakers being wiredincorrectly. Suitable complementary connectors for making such aconnection between the loudspeakers and the distribution circuit mayinclude Samtec™ MPT and MPS series header/socket connectors.

FIG. 28 is a top sectional view of a plurality of receptacles (shown as282, 284, 286 in corresponding portions of FIG. 4) of the support member20 in the process of receiving left, right and center speaker enclosures82, 84, 86, respectively, into a mounted position, and FIG. 29 is anenlarged partial front sectional view of one of the receptacles andshowing an audio connector at the rear of the receptacle. FIGS. 28 and29 together illustrate a self-alignment mechanism whereby movement ofthe enclosures into the receptacles along a first axis, causes automaticalignment along a second axis with an audio signal connector at the rearof the receptacle in response to deflection from two spaced apart guidemembers. The guide members each include a locking surface for engaging acomplementary locking surface on the enclosures to lock the speakersagainst movement along a third axis, the first, second and third axesbeing mutually orthogonal.

FIG. 32 shows an alternative embodiment in which the left and rightspeakers 82, 84 have been moved horizontally such that they no longerabut the center speaker 84. In this embodiment, better stereo separationis achieved by horizontally placing the left and right speakers 82, 84to the left and right of the display device 40, respectively, as viewedfrom a direct viewing position. As above, the loudspeakers are embeddedin the wall and are covered by a wall opening cover 100 disposed in aplane rearward of the plane of the display device 40.

Subwoofer Loudspeaker

The system 10 may include a compact, positionable subwoofer loudspeakerlocated within the wall space. Referring to FIG. 12, a subwooferloudspeaker according to one embodiment is shown being supported by thesupport member 20 in a portion of the support space 22 located directlyabove the support member 20. The subwoofer loudspeaker includes asubwoofer enclosure and one or more physical subwoofer drivers.

In embodiments such as the one shown in FIG. 12, the physical subwooferdrivers are mounted entirely within the subwoofer enclosure and are notexposed or visible on any exterior surface. This configuration causesall of the subwoofer sound to exit the enclosure through a narrowhorizontal opening, which may be located along the lower edge of theenclosure or on another face of the enclosure. The subwoofer opening maybe positioned proximate to an edge of the display device 40. The preciseposition of the opening in the face of the enclosure may be customizedfor each installation based on the relative sizes of the display device40 and/or the cover 100. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, theenclosure is to be positioned at a position above and adjacent to a topedge of the display device 40. This allows the subwoofer audio to passthrough the cover 100 just above the display device 40 with no visiblesign of where the sound is coming from.

In alternative embodiments, the subwoofer drivers may be visible on anexterior surface of the enclosure. In such cases, the openings of thesubwoofer drivers may be positioned in a clear line of sight to theviewer to avoid the sound waves having to traverse around the displaydevice 40. In some embodiments, the openings of the subwoofer driversmay have a partially clear line of sight to the viewer. Despite theclear or partially clear line of sight of the subwoofers to the viewer,the viewer will be unable to view the subwoofer loudspeaker in thisembodiment once the system 10 is fully installed, since the subwooferswill be concealed by a cover 100. In still other embodiments, thesubwoofer may be placed behind the display device 40, but within thewall space.

As shown in FIG. 12, the subwoofer enclosure may be removably receivedin a channel formed by first and second opposite guides, for example,first and second sides of the mounting bracket. The guides may include aplurality of affixing points at different positions, for example, aplurality of openings through which at least one fastener may beinserted through the guide into the subwoofer enclosure to affix it in aparticular position. Thus, the subwoofer enclosure may be positionableand removably mounted at any one of a plurality of positions within theguides in order to position an opening of the subwoofer enclosure in aline of sight to the viewer to reduce obstruction of the sound by thedisplay device 40. In FIGS. 5 and 12, the subwoofer is verticallypositionable. Alternatively, or in addition, the subwoofer may behorizontally positionable in some embodiments.

Equipment Mounting Member

The system 10 may further include an equipment mounting member 150affixed to or integral with the support member 20. Referring to FIG. 13,an equipment mounting member 150 according to one embodiment is shownaffixed inside the support member 20 and securely mounted thereto usingfasteners such as machine screws. The equipment mounting member 150 isoperably configured to removably mount various AV signal source devicesthat will be held in the support space 22. Different AV source will bemounted to the equipment mounting member 150 depending on user-desiredinstallation features and functionality. Examples of common AV signalsource devices include cable TV set-top boxes, satellite receivers,AppleTV® devices, steaming media players, small form factor personalcomputers and other similar AV source components. The equipment mountingmember 150 can optionally also provide a mounting surface and locationfor balun-based systems (active and/or passive) used to extend AVsignals (including HDMI) from remotely located AV source devices such asDVD, CD and/or Blu-Ray Disc players located externally to the supportspace 22. Data communication, computing and networking equipment (e.g.,Internet routers or modems), may also be removably mounted on theequipment mounting member 150 in the support space 22. For example, inthe exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 19, the mounted devices includedual Gefen™ HDMI extenders (fiber), a Gefen™ HDMI extender (CAT-6), anRTI™ XP-6 Controller (i.e., a remote control processor operable tocommunicate with a remote control and to control the AV system inresponse to user commands), an AppleTV™ device, an Apple Mac Mini™, anda Motorola™ high definition personal video recorder (PVR).

In this embodiment, the equipment mounting member 150 is removable andis operably configured to removably mount both universal anddevice-specific mounting brackets for use in mounting the devices suchas those described above. The equipment mounting member 150 may includea plurality of integrated affixing points (e.g., a plurality ofspaced-apart openings or dips) for mounting the brackets and/or formanaging wiring. Advantageously, any equipment that is mounted on theequipment mounting member 150 is located proximate the display device 40and thus can easily be configured to communicate with the display device40 (whether by wired or wireless connection), but it does not occupy anyspace in the room. Also, equipment in the in-wall space 18 is notvisible to a viewer of the display device 40 because a view of thesecomponents is obstructed by the display device 40 and/or the wallopening cover 100 when mounted.

Wall Surface Interface Member

The system 10 may include a wall surface interface member 106 operablyconfigured to provide an interface for a finished wall surface that isto be installed around the wall opening. In other words, the wallsurface interface member 106 serves to define the periphery, and thusthe overall footprint, of the mounting apparatus 12 in the wall.Referring to FIG. 14, one embodiment of a wall interface is shown at106. The wall surface interface is operably configured to provide anattractive, permanent, fixed and continuous border defining the externalphysical dimensions of the system 10 on the finished wall surface. Thisborder serves as a transition point, or “interface,” between themounting apparatus 12 and the material used as the final wall surface,most typically, but not exclusively, gypsum wallboard (G.W.B.) ordrywall. In this embodiment, the wall surface interface includes a metallip at a peripheral edge of the interface to provide a solid and robustsurface for the final wall surface to run up to and abut.

In some embodiments, at least part of the interface may be provided by aperipheral portion of the support member 20, for example, by speciallyformed edges of the box-shaped frame of the support member 20. In someembodiments, the wall surface interface may include integral mountingpoints, such as threaded or unthreaded affixing points, for the displaymounting member 30 and/or the wall opening cover 100. In someembodiments, the wall surface interface may be part of the supportmember 20, or alternatively, it may be a separate piece removablymounted to the support member 20 as part of the mounting apparatus 12.In one embodiment, the wall surface interface may be affixed to a frontsurface of the support member 20 by the use of fasteners such as machinescrews.

The wall surface interface may be positionally adjustable in at leastone dimension. For example, the interface may be vertically adjustableto support forming a wall opening of various sizes in the verticaldimension to allow for proper positioning of the height of the apparatus12/wall boundary (i.e., the point at which mounting apparatus 12 endsand the finished wall surface begins) for a particular size of displaydevice 40 and wall opening cover 100 used in a given installation. Insome embodiments, the interface instead may be adjustable in ahorizontal direction to adjust the horizontal width of a final wallopening that will be formed around the installation. In still otherembodiments, the interface member 106 may be adjustable in both ahorizontal and a vertical direction, such that the footprint of the wallopening in the finished wall surface is adjusted in both the horizontaland vertical dimensions by moving the interface member.

In this embodiment, the wall surface interface includes openingsconfigured to align with the horizontal openings in the subwoofer. Thewall surface interface member 106 includes at least one interfaceopening configured to align with an inner opening in the wall openingcover 100, to provide an unimpeded output path for sound waves emanatingfrom the in-wall subwoofer. At least a portion of the display mountingmember 30 may extend through the opening to facilitate mounting thedisplay device 40 externally.

Protective Cover

Referring to FIG. 20, a protective cover system 200 may be provided inaccordance with one embodiment, to provide temporary physical protectionto the interior of the support member 20 prior to the final installationof all internal components. Once the surrounding wall surface has beenrepaired, mudded, sanded, and painted, as needed, the cover system maybe removed. The cover system may simply use a different sizesingle-piece cover for differently sized installations. Alternatively,the protective cover system 200 may be provided as a two piece systemoperably configured to protect the system for a range of different sizewall openings. The protective cover system includes an upper cover 202configured to protect the top part of the support member 20 and supportspace 22, and a lower cover 204 configured to protect the bottom part ofthe support member 20 and support space 22. The upper and lower covers202, 204 can be slid apart in a vertical direction to either expand orcontract the overall footprint of the protected area. FIG. 20illustrates that the upper cover can be slid up and down relative to thelower cover, and the relative positions of the two covers can be fixedby tightening a screw. The entire cover is then mounted using furtherscrew holes to the wall surface interface member 106.

Display Mounting Member

The system 10 and apparatus 12 include a display mounting member 30operably configured to facilitate mounting of a display device 40 (e.g.,TV) to the support member 20, and hence, to the wall support. Oneembodiment of the display mounting member 30 is shown in FIG. 15. Inthis embodiment, the display mounting member 30 may be affixed to thewall surface interface using fasteners such as machine screws. Thedisplay mounting member 30 may include a metal bracket operablyconfigured to support the display device 40. The display mounting member30 is operably configured to support the display device 40 in a displaymounting position located outside of the wall and in front of thesupport member 20 such that the display device 40 is spaced apart fromthe wall, spaced apart from the wall opening cover 100, and located in aplane that is substantially parallel to both the wall and the wallopening cover 100.

The display mounting member 30 is operably configured to allow verticaland horizontal adjustment of position such that the final position ofthe display device 40 mounted to the display mounting member 30 can beadjusted both vertically and horizontally, thus allowing preciseplacement (e.g., centering) of the display device 40 in front of thewall opening cover 100. In one embodiment, the display mounting member30 includes a first plurality of openings aligned to correspond with acorresponding second plurality of mounting openings in a displaymounting member 30 interface portion of the support member 20. One ofmore fasteners may be inserted through the first and second plurality ofopenings to prevent relative movement between them display mountingmember 30 and the display mounting member 30 interface portion, once thedisplay mounting member 30 has been moved into a desired position. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 15, the display mounting member 30 includesa display mounting bracket having a plurality of openings operablyconfigured to correspond to a corresponding plurality of mounting slotsin the wall surface interface, which is integral with or removablymounted to the support member 20.

In this embodiment, the bracket has a very shallow profile therebyallowing the display device 40 to sit nearly flush with the wall openingcover 100. The display mounting member 30 may include at least one cablemanagement opening and affixing points to ensure that cabling fromwithin the support space 22 can be run to the display device 40 in aconcealed fashion. The display mounting member 30 may include at leastone ventilation opening operably configured to improve air circulationwithin the support space 22 to support passive cooling of the internalcomponents within the support space 22. In some embodiments, the displaymounting member 30 is operable to leave as open more than half of thearea in a vertical plane to facilitate cable management and cooling.

Display Mounting Hangers

The system 10 may include vertical hanger members 32, 34 designed to beaffixed directly to the display device 40 (TV) by hanging and operablyconfigured to cooperate with the display mounting member 30, to supportthe display in front of the support member 20 and the wall opening cover100 (see FIG. 22). The hangers 32, 34 include dedicated slots operablyconfigured to mate with the display mounting member 30 to provide astrong, secure mounting assembly to support the display device 40. Thevertical hangers 32, 34 may include integral holes and/or slots to allowvertical adjustment when affixed to the display (TV).

FIG. 31 illustrates an embodiment of a display mounting member 30operably configured to support an articulation mechanism 36 comprising aplurality of hinged arms 38 interconnecting the display device 40 withthe wall 14. In this embodiment, the display device 40 may be movedslightly outwardly from the wall and may be tilted horizontally orvertically to provide better viewing from the side. The extent to whichthe display is pulled out from the wall has been greatly exaggerated inthis figure simply in order to fully illustrate the hinged arms.

Wall Opening Cover

Referring to FIG. 16, the mounting apparatus 12 includes a wall openingcover 100. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the cover 100 isinstalled directly in front of the support member 20. The cover 100 isoperably configured to hide from view the internal components locatedwithin the support space 22 located within the wall, and provide anaesthetically appealing and customizable design element as part of theoverall system. In some embodiments, a design professional may wish toselect an acoustically transparent fabric for the cover 100 that bestmatches the interior décor of the room in which the system 10 will belocated.

Alternatively, in some embodiments where a fabric cover 100 is notdesired or appropriate, the cover 100 may be formed of the solidmaterial to have a solid surface. In such embodiments, the cover 100 mayinclude at least one slot aperture or a plurality of unobtrusiveopenings in the cover 100 to allow sound to emanate from loudspeakersplaced within the wall, for example, to exit from LCR and subwooferloudspeakers in the in-wall space.

The cover 100 may be removably affixed to the wall surface interfacemember 106 or to the support member 20 by any one of a variety ofmethods, or by a combination of methods. In one embodiment, the cover100 is affixed using powerful magnets. This contributes to a very cleanand appealing appearance of the finished installation. In someembodiments, the wall opening cover 100 may be supported by the supportmember 20 installed in the wall. In other embodiments, the wall openingcover 100 may be supported in its installed position by the wall surfaceitself. For example, as shown in FIG. 34, the cover 100 may include aconnector on its rear surface, and a portion of the wall surfaceintended to remain underneath the cover 100 during use may include acomplementary connector. In FIG. 34, the connector includes a compactZ-clip 107, 109. Other ways of attaching the cover 100 to the wallsurface include a removable light adhesive placed between the cover 100and the wall surface 104, or a hook and loop fastener set such asVelcro™. Alternatively, the cover 100 may be attached by a combinationof methods. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 23, the top portion of thecover 100 is affixed to the wall surface interface member by hangingusing a French cleat 300, 302, whereas the bottom portion of the cover100 is affixed by magnets configured to match to threaded,adjustable-depth metal spacers of the support member 20, as shown at304, 306. The French cleat includes first and second matching connectingpieces mounted on the cover and the wall interface member, respectively,wherein the first and second connecting pieces have complementarybeveled edges configured to mate with each other to facilitate hangingthe cover on the wall interface member. It will be appreciated that theposition of the cover on the wall will depend on the position of thewall interface member, which in turn, will depends on the size of thedisplay device 40 that is intended to be used. In other words, the wallinterface member is movable to provide a suitably sized finished wallopening for a given size of display device 40. Because of the manner inwhich the wall opening cover is mounted to the wall surface interfacemember, the bottom edge of the finished wall surface will generallyalign with an upper edge of the cover 100. The wall opening cover 100will thus be inherently repositioned to cover the final wall opening forany size installation.

Once installed, there remains no visible means of attachment for thecover 100. FIG. 27 shows a top cross-sectional view of the displaydevice 40 and the wall opening cover 100, as they serve to obstruct theview of the inner-wall space within which the remainder of thecomponents of the system 10 are mounted. In one embodiment, the cover100 becomes gradually thicker in cross-sectional area as it moves from aperipheral edge of the cover to an inner portion of the cover, having amaximum thickness of about ⅝ of an inch. In this embodiment, there is afurther approximately ⅛″ clearance between the thickest portion of thecover and a rear surface of the display device 40. In this embodiment,the inner opening of the cover is about 29-31 inches wide by about 18-20inches high, however, other dimensions for the inner opening may alsowork. The outer periphery of the cover 100 can be of different sizesdepending on the size of the display device 40 that will be used in theinstallation. In some embodiments, the cover 100 may extend about 5inches beyond the outer periphery of the display device 40, or in otherembodiments, between about 2 inches to 8 inches beyond the outerperiphery of the display device 40.

In most embodiments, the inner opening in the cover 100 will bedimensioned to be substantially smaller than the display device 40. Thismeans that at least a portion of the cover overlaps with a peripheralportion of the display device 40 if viewed from a front positiondirectly in front of the display device 40. In other words, a projectionof the display device 40 onto the plane of the cover will overlapsomewhat with an inner, overlapping portion of the cover. Theoverlapping portion obstructs a viewer's view of the in-wall supportspace 22 behind the overlapping portion, even if the display device 40is not mounted. This is not particularly useful from a direct frontalviewing position since, once the display device 40 is mounted, theaforesaid portions of the in-wall support space 22 are not visible tothe viewer, because the display device 40 obstructs a clear line ofsight to them (whether or not a cover is mounted behind the displaydevice 40). However, because the cover and the display device 40 arelocated in different, albeit generally parallel planes, the overlappingportion of the cover is useful in obstructing a viewer's view of thein-wall space 18 at an extreme angle of view. For example, FIG. 25illustrates a perspective side view of a completed AV system 10installation from one extreme angle that is unsuitable for use as aviewing position for the display. Notwithstanding the extreme angle ofthis viewpoint, the in-wall space 18 is not visible to the viewer. Thisis because, even though the cover is mounted in a plane which is spacedapart from the plane in which the display is mounted, the overlappingportion of the cover, as defined above, serves to obstruct the viewer'sview into the in-wall space, even where no portion of the display device40 is able to obstruct the view at this angle. Furthermore, it will beappreciated that the front of a display device 40 may be a differentsize than the rear of the display device 40. Indeed, the rear of thedisplay device 40 may be smaller in overall area than the front of thedisplay device 40. Accordingly, the dimensions of the cover'soverlapping portion are chosen based on the size of the rear portion ofthe display device 40 and the distance by which it is spaced apart fromthe wall. If the rear portion of the display device 40 is relativelysmaller and/or it is spaced relatively further from the wall, a largeroverlapping portion is used to ensure that the cover is effective inconcealing the in-wall space. If the rear portion of the display device40 is relatively smaller and/or it is spaced relatively closer to thewall, the overlapping portion may be smaller. Configuring the cover inthis manner preserves the benefits of mounting the display device 40spaced apart slightly from the wall (e.g., the display device 40 isbetter able to dissipate heat, avoiding the kinds of thermal problemsthat could arise if it was embedded into the wall), but not at the costof allowing a viewer to see into the in-wall space, which would beunsightly.

In many typical embodiments, the cover 100 will be symmetrical withrespect to the horizontal and vertical axes of the display device 40,for example, the cover may extend past the periphery of the displaydevice 40 on all sides of the display device 40 to effectively “frame”the entire display device 40 in a symmetrical manner, as viewed from afrontal viewing position. In some embodiments, the cover will besymmetrical only with respect to one of the horizontal and vertical axesof the display device 40. For example, if the cover is non-rectangular(e.g., the cover is a symmetrical trapezoid), it may be viewed assymmetrical with respect to the horizontal axis of the display device 40but not with respect to its vertical axis. In still other embodiments,the cover will be asymmetrical with respect to the display device 40, asviewed from a frontal viewing position.

In part, the shape of the final wall opening, and thus the shape of thecover, may differ depending on the composition of the speakers in aparticular system installation. For example, in one embodiment, theinstallation may have left and right speakers 82, 84 as shown in FIG. 32but no subwoofer 180 or center speaker. In such an embodiment, thein-wall space 18 of the system 10 may be configured to only extend pastthe display device 40 on the left and right sides, but not below orabove the display device 40. In this case, the cover may be suitablydimensioned to only extend to the left and right of the display device40, but not necessarily above and below it (as viewed from a frontview). If the preceding embodiment is modified by adding a subwooferpositioned as shown in FIG. 32 (but still omitting the center speaker),it may be appropriate to provide a cover which takes the shape of aninverted “U”. In another embodiment which has only the LCR speakers asshown, for example, in FIG. 19, but no subwoofer, the cover may be beinstalled asymmetrically, being configured to only extend below thedisplay device 40 but not extend to the left, right, or above thedisplay device 40. Other cover shapes may be used for aestheticpurposes, even where they are unnecessary to permit sound waves from anunderlying in-wall speaker to pass through.

FIG. 30A illustrates an alternative embodiment of the cover in which thecover is slightly recessed into the wall such that it is flush with thefinished wall surface. FIG. 30B illustrates an alternative embodiment inwhich the cover is not a unitary piece, but rather, is formed from fourpieces which attach together along the diagonal lines emanating fromeach corner to the corresponding corners of the inner opening of thisembodiment of the cover.

Methods of Installation

In view of the above description of various embodiments of theinvention, the following summary provides an exemplary embodiment of aninstallation method of the AV system 10 and mounting apparatus 12 of theinvention. In some cases, the mounting apparatus 12 (including thesupport member 20 and accessories thereto), may be provided in the formof a kit to the installer.

1. For retrofit installations (as opposed to new constructioninstallations), remove the wall surface material (typically drywall)from the portion of the wall where the system 10 will be installed.

2. Create a framed window-style opening within the wall framing membersthat measures about 48″ high by 48″ wide. (A different size opening canbe used for a different embodiment, depending on the mounting apparatus12 that is being used and the size of the display device 40 that will beinstalled.) In some cases, install at least one additional wall supportreinforcement member 26, such as one or more 2″×4″ wood pieces attachedin parallel to the original wooden wall studs 16, prior to installationof the mounting apparatus 12 in the wall. Ensure that all sides aresquare and plumb.3. Place a support member 20 of the mounting apparatus 12 into theframed opening and position it such that it is resting on a lowerhorizontal cross member of the framed opening, and that the back surfaceof a front flange of the support member 20 is resting against the frontface of the wall framing members.4. Securely affix the support member 20 to the wall framing using theappropriate fasteners (e.g., wood or metal screws) through the sides ofthe support member 20 in the holes provided.5. Optionally, install at least one temporary reinforcement memberacross the support member 20 to stiffen the support member 20 while itis being installed. Next, position the subwoofer mount (e.g., asubwoofer bracket), while leaving the temporary reinforcement memberinstalled, in the space above the support member 20.6. Using the supplied fasteners (e.g., machine screws), affix thesubwoofer mount to the support member 20.7. Next, affix the top flanges of the subwoofer mount to the horizontalframing member at the top of the 48″ by 48″ framed opening and ensurethat any temporary alignment clips used are flush with the face of theframing. This will ensure that the subwoofer mount is positioned in theexact centre of the framed opening which is important to the correctpositioning of the subwoofer during final installation.8. Next, remove the temporary reinforcement members and the alignmentclips.9. If the wall surface interface member is not part of the supportmember 20, install the wall surface interface member to the supportmember 20. Adjust and set the wall surface interface member at thedesired height as specified for the size of display device 40 (e.g.,television) being used.10. Install the line voltage connection member 120 and make theelectrical connection that feeds electrical power to the line voltageconnection member. Install the protective cover on the line voltageconnection member.11. Install the low voltage connection member 130 and make all lowvoltage cabling connections. Install the protective cover on the lowvoltage connection member.12. Install a protective cover system, including an upper protectivecover and a lower protective cover, onto the face of the support member20, to protect the inside of the support area from construction debris.Secure both covers using the supplied fasteners.13. Apply the final wall surface (typically drywall) to the wallframing. Ensure that the wall surface extends up to and directly abutsall four sides of the support member 20 (or to the wall surfaceinterface member), but does not directly cover the support member 20.Apply any final finish materials to the wall surface (e.g., paint orwall paper).14. Once the final wall finishing is complete, remove the protectivecover system.15. Install the subwoofer enclosure into the upper portion of thesupport member 20. Use the locating/centering pins 198, 199 that extendslightly from the subwoofer mount to align with the corresponding guideslots 186 in the side panels of the subwoofer enclosure as you press theenclosure upward into position above the support member 20. Securelyaffix the subwoofer enclosure using the four fasteners (e.g., machinescrews) provided. Using the supplied cable, connect the input of thesubwoofer to the corresponding subwoofer output connector located withinthe top portion of the signal processor 70, once the signal processor 70has been installed.16. Install the power distribution module 50 on the left side of thesupport member 20 using the two positioning guide slots provided 251,252. Once in position, lower the power distribution module 50 such thatit is seated firmly in the support member 20 and the connections at thebottom of the power distribution module 50 are mated to thecorresponding connections on the power and signal distribution circuitor backplane. Install suitable fasteners (e.g., two machine screws) toaffix the power distribution module 50 in place to the support member20. Connect the male locking power connector on the power distributionmodule 50 to the corresponding female power receptacle on the linevoltage connection member and twist to lock the connectors.17. Install the multi-channel power amplifier 60 in the lower centreportion of the support member 20. The multi-channel power amplifier 60will rest on the horizontal shelf that runs the full width of thesupport member 20. Once in position, slide the multi-channel poweramplifier 60 back such that it is seated firmly in the support member 20and each of the connections on the back side of the multi-channel poweramplifier 60 are mated to the corresponding connections on thedistribution circuit.18. Install the AV signal processor 70 on the right side of the supportmember 20 using the two positioning slots provided 271, 272(corresponding to the hangers 281, 282 in FIG. 33). Once in position,lower the signal processor 70 such that it is seated firmly in thesupport member 20 and the connections at the bottom of the signalprocessor 70 are mated to the corresponding connections on thedistribution circuit. Install the appropriate fasteners (e.g., twomachine screws) to affix the signal processor 70 in place.19. Install the left, center and right loudspeakers (center channelspeaker may be optional) in the lower horizontal cavity of the supportmember 20. The lower horizontal cavity may be configured as aloudspeaker receptacle operably configured to removably receive one ormore loudspeaker enclosures. Slide each loudspeaker enclosure back suchthat it is seated firmly within the support member 20 and theconnections on the back side of the loudspeakers are mated to thecorresponding connections on the distribution circuit. In someembodiments, a plurality of loudspeakers, e.g., all of the LCRloudspeakers 80, may be combined in a single integrated enclosure,rather than having their own separate enclosures. In such embodiments,the single integrated enclosure is installed and removably received intothe corresponding loudspeaker receptacle on the support member 20.20. If this installation includes surround speakers, connect the speakerwire from each of the installed surround speakers to the correspondingsurround speaker terminals located within the top portion of the signalprocessor 70.21. Install the equipment mounting panel into the support member 20using the supplied fasteners.22. Install and affix the supplied mounting brackets for any requiredinternal AV signal source, computing, communication and/or controlequipment onto the face of the equipment mounting panel such that it issecurely held in the support space 22.23. Make all electrical and low voltage connections between the powerdistribution module 50, the signal processor 70, the AV signal,communication, and control equipment and secure all wiring to theequipment mounting panel.24. Install the display mounting member 30 using the supplied machinescrews.25. Install the wall opening cover using the supplied hardware andadjust its position relative to the wall surface, so that the wallopening cover is flat and flush against the wall surface. For example,in one embodiment, you might affix the cover by hanging the cover usinga French cleat at the top of the cover and affix the bottom of the coverby attaching magnets on the bottom of the cover to adjustable-depthmagnetic stops/spacers on the support member 20.26. Install the two display mounting member 30 hangers onto the back ofthe flat panel display device 40.27. Make the power connection between the flat panel display device 40and the power distribution module 50.28. Make all low voltage cabling connections between the flat paneldisplay device 40 and the signal processor 70.29. Install the flat panel display device 40 onto the display mountingmember 30, such that the display device 40 is suspended on the wall infront of the wall opening cover, and spaced apart from the finished wallsurface.

It will be appreciated that some of the above steps may be omitted,substituted, performed in parallel, or performed in a different order,as appropriate, depending on the specific requirements of the AV system10 installation at issue and the features of the specific embodiment ofthe apparatus 12 being used to install the system 10.

Completed Installation

FIGS. 24 and 25 provide perspective front and side views of an AV system10 installation in a wall upon completion, according to one embodiment.In this embodiment, system 10 installation is complete when the displaydevice 40 or TV has been mounted to the display mounting member 30 suchthat the display device 40 or TV is suspended in front and spaced apartfrom the wall opening cover. Although the finished installation in thisembodiment includes a high-definition display device 40, a mountingsystem, high performance loudspeakers, multichannel power amplification,AV signal processing/switching and distribution, a plurality of highdefinition AV signal sources, audio processing and decoding for Dolbyand DTS surround formats, and power distribution and surge protectionfor all components, all that is visible in the completed installation isthe display device 40 and the wall opening cover employed to visually“frame” the display device 40 for an aesthetically pleasing andultra-low profile finished installation.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described andillustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of theinvention only and not as limiting the invention as construed inaccordance with the accompanying claims. It should also be appreciatedthat the embodiments disclosed herein are not mutually exclusive suchthat features of one embodiment may be combined with those of anotherembodiment to form further embodiments falling within the scope of theseclaims. Similarly, it should be appreciated that various other possiblecombinations and permutations of the internal and external componentsdescribed herein may form still further embodiments falling within thescope of these claims. Furthermore, in other embodiments of theinvention, some components described above as removably mountable mayinstead be integral or permanently mounted, whereas some componentsdescribed as integral or as permanently mounted, may instead be made tobe removably mountable.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mounting apparatus for an audio-video system,comprising: a support member providing a support space for holding atleast one component of the audio-video system, the support member beingoperably configured to be installed in an in-wall space located within awall such that the support space is disposed within the in-wall spaceand is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, the support memberdefining an access region operable to register with the wall opening toprovide access to the support space through the wall opening fromoutside the wall, wherein the support member comprises a plurality oflocations adapted to facilitate removably mounting a correspondingplurality of electronic devices comprising at least one of anaudio-visual signal source, a switching, a distribution and anamplification device; a display mounting member connected to the supportmember and operably configured to mount a display device such that thedisplay device, when mounted, is positioned outside the wall to conceala first portion of the in-wall space from a viewer situated to view thedisplay device from a generally frontal display viewing position outsidethe wall; and a cover operably configured to be removably mounted in aplane disposed generally in parallel to a plane of the wall andinterposed between the support space and the display device, the coverbeing dimensioned to conceal a second portion of the in-wall spaceseparate from the first portion of the in-wall space, a peripheralportion of the cover being dimensioned to overlap a wall surface portionproximate the wall opening to conceal the wall surface portion.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is dimensioned to overlap with aperipheral portion of the display device when the display device ismounted in position, as viewed from the viewing position.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer periphery of the cover isdimensioned to be (a) wider than the display device, (b) taller than thedisplay device, or (c) both wider and taller than the display device. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is operably configured to beremovably mounted to the support member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the cover is operably configured to be removably mounted to anouter wall surface proximate the wall opening.
 6. The apparatus of claim1 wherein the cover is operably configured to be removably mounted whilespaced apart from the display device.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the cover is operably configured to be removably mounted frombeing flush with an outer wall surface.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1wherein the cover is sufficiently rigid to maintain its form whenremoved from the wall.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover isoperably configured to be removed from the wall without using any tools.10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is mounted to the supportmember using a French cleat.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thecover is mounted to the support member using at least one magnet. 12.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is mounted to the supportmember using any member of the group consisting of an adhesive, a wallplug, and a hook and loop fastener material.
 13. The apparatus of claim1 wherein a rear portion of the cover is disposed generally flat againstthe concealed wall surface portion proximate the wall opening.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is dimensioned to conceal atleast one peripheral portion of the wall opening.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the cover is configured to be substantially symmetricalwith respect to at least one of a vertical or a horizontal axis of thedisplay device.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is atleast as large as the display device.
 17. The apparatus of claim 1wherein a peripheral portion of the cover forms a visible framegenerally around the entire display device when viewed from the viewingposition.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the visible frame issubstantially symmetrical with respect to the display device when viewedfrom the viewing position.
 19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thecover in its mounted position is spaced apart from the display device ina horizontal direction generally perpendicular to the wall and isdisposed proximate a plane of an outer surface of the wall.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the mounted cover is operably configured tobe spaced apart from the display device by substantially the samedistance over an area spanning the rear surface of the display device.21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover when mounted is orientedsuch that each vertical edge of the cover is substantially parallel to acorresponding vertical edge of the display device as viewed from theside.
 22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member and the atleast one component are dimensioned to fit inside a wall having about a4 inch depth.
 23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member isoperably configured to be mounted within an in-wall space of about 48inches high by about 48 inches wide in size.
 24. The apparatus of claim1 wherein the support member is operably configured to be mounted withinan in-wall space larger than 48 inches high by about 48 inches wide insize.
 25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support member uponinstallation is partly covered by a replacement wall surface coplanarwith the original wall.
 26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the displaymounting member is operably configured to mount and position the displaydevice in a display device position spaced apart from a plane defined byan outer surface of the wall.
 27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thesupport member is operably configured to house the plurality ofaudio-visual signal source, switching, distribution and/or amplificationdevices.
 28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the support membercomprises a generally box-shaped frame.
 29. The apparatus of claim 1further comprising: a signal processor operably configured to receive aplurality of input signals from a plurality of signal sources and togenerate a first output signal to the display device based on theplurality of input signals, the signal processor being mounted in thesupport space.
 30. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a firstsignal source device of the audio-video system removably mounted in thesupport space and operably coupled to provide a first input signal tothe signal processor.
 31. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising:a second signal source device of the audio-video system removablymounted in the support space and operably coupled to provide a secondinput signal to the signal processor; and a power distribution moduleconnected to the support member and disposed in the in-wall space, thepower distribution module operable to provide electrical power to thedisplay device and to the first and second signal source devices. 32.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one signal sourcefrom a signal source device located outside the wall.
 33. A coveroperably configured to be removably mounted between a display devicemounted outside a wall and an in-wall space located within the wall andaccessible from outside the wall through a wall opening in the wall, thewall opening being dimensioned larger than the display device in atleast one dimension of height and width, wherein the cover isdimensioned to conceal a peripheral portion of the wall opening that isnot otherwise concealed from a viewer by the display device at a displayviewing position, a peripheral portion of the cover dimensioned tooverlap a wall surface portion of the wall proximate the wall opening toconceal the wall surface portion, wherein the cover is operablyconfigured to cooperate with a support member providing a support spacefor holding at least one component of an audio-video system, the supportmember being operably configured to be installed in the in-wall spacelocated within a wall.
 34. The cover of claim 33 wherein the cover isdimensioned to visually frame the display device to the viewer in agenerally symmetric manner.
 35. The cover of claim 33 wherein the covercomprises acoustically transparent fabric operable to permit acousticwaves generated in the in-wall space to pass through the cover.
 36. Thecover of claim 33 wherein the cover has an inner opening, the inneropening operable to permit at least one electrical conductor to passthrough to carry an electrical power signal from the in-wall space topower the display device.
 37. The cover of claim 33 wherein the coverhas an inner opening configured to permit a portion of a displaymounting member located partially in the in-wall space, to pass throughthe inner opening, to facilitate mounting the display device outside thewall.
 38. The cover of claim 37 wherein the cover comprises an outerframe and an inner frame, the inner frame defining the inner opening.39. The cover of claim 33 wherein the cover is adapted to conceal aplurality of speakers located in the in-wall space, wherein theplurality of speakers would be in a line of sight of the viewer if thecover was absent.
 40. An audio-video system comprising: a support memberproviding a support space for holding components of the audio-videosystem including a plurality of signal source devices removably mountedin the support space, the support member being installed in an in-wallspace located within a wall such that the support space is disposedwithin the in-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of thewall, the support member defining an access region operable to registerwith the wall opening to provide access to the support space through thewall opening from outside the wall; a display mounting member connectedto the support member and operably configured to mount a display devicesuch that the display device is positioned outside the wall; a signalprocessor operably configured to receive a plurality of input signalsfrom a plurality of signal sources and to generate a first output signalto the display device based on the plurality of input signals, thesignal processor being mounted in the support space; a display devicemounted on the display mounting member and spaced apart from the supportspace, the display device being configured to receive the first outputsignal from the signal processor; and a first signal source device ofthe audio-video system removably mounted in the support space andoperably coupled to provide a first input signal to the signalprocessor.
 41. The system of claim 40 further comprising a second signalsource device of the audio-video system removably mounted in the supportspace and operably coupled to provide a second input signal to thesignal processor; and a power distribution module connected to thesupport member and disposed in the in-wall space, the power distributionmodule operable to provide electrical power to the display device andthe first and second signal source devices.
 42. The system of claim 41further comprising at least one signal source from a signal sourcedevice located outside the wall.
 43. The system of claim 42 furthercomprising: a cover operably configured to be removably mounted betweenthe display device mounted outside the wall and the in-wall space;wherein the wall opening is dimensioned larger than the display devicein at least one dimension of height and width; wherein the cover isdimensioned to conceal a peripheral portion of the wall opening that isnot otherwise concealed from a viewer by the display device at a displayviewing position, and a peripheral portion of the cover is dimensionedto overlap a wall surface portion of the wall proximate the wall openingto conceal the wall surface portion; and wherein the cover is operablyconfigured to cooperate with the support member providing the supportspace for holding the components of the audio-video system.
 44. Thesystem of claim 40 wherein the support member comprises a connector fora power distribution module.
 45. The system of claim 40 wherein thesupport member comprises at least one connector for removably mountingat least one loudspeaker to the support member.
 46. The system of claim40 wherein the support member comprises a connector for removablymounting an amplifier to the support member.
 47. The system of claim 40wherein the support member comprises a connector for removably mountingan audio-video processor to the support member.
 48. The system of claim40 wherein the support member comprises a mount for a subwoofercomprising a subwoofer mounting bracket.
 49. The system of claim 40wherein the support member comprises at least one connector for LCRspeakers to be disposed in the in-wall space.
 50. The system of claim40, the apparatus further comprising a subwoofer mount operablyconfigured to permit mounting of a subwoofer at any one of a pluralityof vertical positions such that a center of a driver of the subwoofer isdisposed between an edge of the display device and an edge of the cover,as viewed in a side elevation view.
 51. The system of claim 50 whereinthe subwoofer mount is operably configured to slidingly receive thesubwoofer for mounting.
 52. The system of claim 40 wherein the apparatusfurther comprises a low voltage connection member for terminating aplurality of low voltage cables entering the in-wall space.
 53. Thesystem of claim 52 wherein the low voltage connection member is operablyconfigured to receive low voltage signals including an audio-videosignal and a data signal for use by corresponding audio-video systemcomponents.
 54. The system of claim 40 wherein the apparatus furthercomprises a power distribution module operably connected to a linevoltage, the power distribution module converting the line voltage to atleast one low voltage for use by at least one of the components of theaudio-video system.
 55. The system of claim 54 wherein the powerdistribution module is connected to a connector that is connected to apower amplifier for producing audio signals, wherein the power amplifieris mounted to the support member.
 56. The system of claim 55 wherein theapparatus further comprises a signal processor mounted to the supportmember and located in the in-wall space, the signal processor beingpowered by the power distribution module.
 57. The system of claim 56wherein the signal processor includes a plurality of HDMI inputs and atleast one HDMI output.
 58. The system of claim 57 wherein the apparatusfurther comprises an audio power amplifier mounted to the support memberin the in-wall space, the audio power amplifier being powered by thepower distribution module.
 59. The system of claim 58 wherein the audiopower amplifier is located proximate an elongate speaker regioncomprising a left speaker, a center speaker and a right speakergenerally horizontally disposed in series along a longitudinal axis ofthe elongate speaker region.
 60. The system of claim 59 wherein theaudio power amplifier is provided in an elongate form factor having alongitudinal axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of theelongate speaker region.
 61. The system of claim 60 wherein the elongateform factor of the audio power amplifier at least partially spans eachof the left, center and right speakers.
 62. The system of claim 61wherein the left, center, and right speakers each comprise a respectivesound emitting slot.
 63. The system of claim 62 wherein each soundemitting slot is oriented to be generally parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the audio power amplifier.
 64. The system of claim 40 furthercomprising a plurality of speaker enclosures wherein at least two of theplurality of speaker enclosures are operably configured to abut eachother when mounted to the support member.
 65. The system of claim 64wherein left and right speakers of the apparatus are operably configuredto abut the center speaker at opposite ends thereof when mounted. 66.The system of claim 65 wherein the left, center, and right speakers areencased in a single, continuous enclosure.
 67. The system of claim 66wherein each of the left, center and right speakers includes arespective connector designed to mate with a corresponding connectormounted to the support member and operably configured to provide aspeaker level audio signal.
 68. The system of claim 64 wherein theplurality of speakers enclosures are arranged to emit sound along anedge of the display device and directed towards the viewer's position.69. The system of claim 64 wherein a left speaker enclosure is locatedto the left of the display device, the right speaker is located to theright of the display device, and the center speaker enclosure isgenerally below the display device.
 70. The system of claim 40 furthercomprising an AV signal source mount operable to providing mounting fora plurality of AV signal source devices in the support space.
 71. Thesystem of claim 70 wherein the plurality of AV signal source devicescomprises at least two of the group comprising a set-top box, asatellite receiver, a TV device, a streaming media player, a small formfactor computer, and a balun based system used to extend an AV signalfrom an externally located AV signal source device.
 72. The system ofclaim 71 wherein the AV source mount is operably configured to mount abracket intended for use with a specific AV signal source device. 73.The system of claim 40 wherein the apparatus further comprises a wallsurface interface connected to the support member, the wall surfaceinterface operably configured to provide an interface between theapparatus and a final wall surface when the apparatus is installed inthe wall.
 74. The system of claim 73 wherein the wall surface interfaceforms a border for abutting the final wall surface.
 75. The system ofclaim 74 wherein the wall surface interface is operably configured tomount a display device mounting member.
 76. The system of claim 75wherein the wall surface interface is operably configured to mount acover.
 77. The system claim 76 wherein the wall surface interfacecomprises a panel that is affixed to a front surface of the supportmember proximate a position of the wall surface.
 78. The system of claim40 wherein the display device mounting member comprises a metal bracketadapted to support the display device in front of the support member andin front of a wall opening cover.
 79. The system of claim 78 wherein thedisplay device mounting member is operably configured to be adjustedboth vertically and horizontally to allow precise placement of thedisplay device in front of the cover when the cover is mounted.
 80. Thesystem of claim 79 wherein the display device mounting member comprisesopenings adapted to provide cable management between the display deviceand the in-wall space.
 81. The system of claim 79 wherein the displaydevice mounting member comprises openings communicating with the wallopening and operable to facilitate cooling of components within thein-wall space by permitting circulation of air between the in-wall spaceand outside the wall.
 82. The system of claim 40 wherein access to thein-wall space is provided when the cover is removed.
 83. Anentertainment system having a positionable in-wall loudspeaker mounting,the system comprising: a support member providing a support space forholding at least one component of the audio-video system, the supportmember being operably configured to be installed in an in-wall spacelocated within a wall such that the support space is disposed within thein-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, thesupport member defining an access region operable to register with thewall opening to provide access to the support space through the wallopening from outside the wall; a display device mounting memberconnected to the support member and operably configured to mount adisplay device such that the display device, when mounted, is positionedoutside the wall to conceal a first portion of the in-wall space from aviewer situated to view the display device from a display viewingposition outside the wall; a loudspeaker enclosure; and a loudspeakermounting member including a guide for receiving the loudspeakerenclosure into a mounted position in which the loudspeaker will projectsound in a line of sight towards a viewer position without obstructionof the sound by the display device.
 84. The system of claim 83, whereinthe loudspeaker enclosure is a subwoofer operably configured to slidegenerally vertically into and be received in the in-wall space.
 85. Thesystem of claim 84, further comprising a power amplifier operable to beconnected to a power and signal distribution circuit through aconnector.
 86. The system of claim 83, wherein the loudspeaker enclosureincludes a tweeter driver and is operably configured to slide generallyhorizontally into a socket in the in-wall space.
 87. The system of claim83, further comprising a multi-channel electrical connector mounted onthe support member and operatively configured to mate with acorresponding multi-channel electrical connector on the speaker tosimultaneously connect a plurality of signal channels.
 88. The system ofclaim 83, further comprising a distribution circuit operable tointerconnect at least one speaker to an audio power amplifier.